In Colorado Republican Federal Campaigning Committee v. Federal Election Commission, the Court held that state and local parties cannot be limited in the amount of money spent on behalf of the candidate, as long as that spending is not coordinated with the candidate. This extends to PACs and other equivalent groups.

Forbes candidacy deterred other more serious candidates from running, which also benefited Buchanan but mostly Dole.

On March 2, Dole won in South Carolina, superior organization, large campaign account, Dole won the remaining critical primaries, including winner-take-all primaries, and by the end of March Dole had amassed the necessary amount delegates needed.

Dole’s weaknesses, age clear campaign theme, and purpose; overspending reached pending limit under the federal campaign law in May, had no money to respond to Clinton’s negative advertising.

Constitution Party (formerly U.S. Taxpayers Party): Presidential, Howard Phillips, Chairman of the American Conservative Union

Convention Keynote Speaker:

Nominating Speech Speakers (President):

Party Platform/Issues:

Democratic Party: ending deficit spending; balancing the federal budget; maintain Social Security and Medicare. national standards for primary and secondary schools; welfare; reduce those in need of public funds; protection of the National Parks; offshore drilling opposition

Republican Party: strictly conservative; abortion plank (part of the debate the week prior to the convention) the rights of the unborn prevailed; “tax relief, balancing the budget, improving education, affordable health care, regulatory reform, rejecting statehood for the District of Columbia,” English as the nation’s language.

Labeled Dole the “Dole-Gingrich”, for planning to cut social programs.

Republican Party:

Did not directly attack Clinton, to alienate female voters, where Dole had been polling poorly.

Labeled Clinton the “Me Too” President because of his adoption of Republican positions.

Late in campaign determined that Clinton’s lack of character would be a good theme, although the public agreed, Clinton’s performance as president outweighed the character issue in importance.

Debates:

October 6, 1996, Presidential Debate in Hartford

October 9, 1996, Vice-Presidential Debate in St. Petersburg

October 16, 1996, Presidential Debate in San Diego

Turning Points (General Election):

In the Summer, Clinton used ads to depict Dole as “an aged conservative far from the mainstream,” link Dole to Newt Gingrich, cuts in Medicare, education, environment; Clinton maintained an advantage, because Dole had reached the spending limit and could not respond or attack back.

Tabloid revealed Dick Morris, Clinton campaign advisor was having an affair with a Washington prostitute; forced to resign from the campaign.

Perot could not affect the campaign as he did in 1992, was not even allowed to be included in the debates, because the Commission on Presidential Debates concluded Perot did not have a “realistic chance of election.”

Age Issue: At 72 years old, Bob Dole was the oldest candidate running for the first term as President. He appeared old and frail and although he tried to dress down, he could not connect with the younger voters. His age became more of an issue when he fell off a stage at a rally on September 19, in Chico, California; a railing he was leaning over gave way. And on September 18, he mistakenly referenced the “Brooklyn Dodgers”, the team had left Brooklyn four decades prior, to make light of the gaffe, a few days later Dole joked “And I’d like to congratulate the St. Louis Cardinals on winning the N.L. Central. Notice I said the St. Louis Cardinals, not the St. Louis Browns.” (the Browns left in 1954, becoming the Baltimore Orioles). Doles also referenced the Soviet Union as though, it still existed, showing Dole was out of place with the times.

President Bill Clinton, the incumbent Democratic candidate looked to create his own October Surprise in his re-election bid against Republican candidate Bob Dole. In June, Clinton met with top FBI and CIA aides in hope of organizing a successful sting against the Russian Mafia, which had been rumored to be interested in selling a nuclear missile. The operation failed to become a real October Surprise.

Clinton also hoped he might be able to broker a last-minute deal between the Palestinians and Israelis. The two sides however only agreed to more talks.

Dole gained momentum when in late September 1995, the press uncovered the National Democrats might be engaging in questionable fund-raising practices, and accepting donations from foreign countries, tax-exempt religious institutions which was strictly prohibited.

February 1996: The Washington Post published a story that a U.S. Department of Justice investigation uncovered that Chinese agents were donating money to the Democratic National Committee through the Chinese Embassy in Washington. It is illegal for non-American citizens from donating to U.S. politicians and parties. Seventeen were convicted in connection.

Hsi Lai Temple in Hacienda Heights, California had a fundraising event for the 1996 Clinton-Gore re-election campaign, in which Al Gore was involved. DNC fund-raisers John Huang and Maria Hsia organized the event although it is illegal for religious institutions as non-profit organizations to contribute to political campaigns, candidates or parties. Hsia was convicted in March 2000, and the funds were returned to the Temple’s monks and nuns.

Popular Campaign Slogans:

Democratic: Bill Clinton “Building a bridge to the 21st century”

Republican: Bob Dole “The Better Man for a Better America”

Campaign Song:

Republican: Bob Dole: “Dole Man” (Sam and Dave)

Influential Campaign Appeals or Ads:

Money Spent (Each Campaign/Party/Overall):

Green Party USA: Ralph Nader promised to spend only $5,000. He did not want to be obligated to file an FEC financial statement.

Defining Quotation (Winning Candidate):

“Tonight, my fellow Americans, I ask all of our fellow citizens to join me and to join you in building that bridge to the 21st century. Four years from now, just 4 years from now – think of it – we begin a new century, full of enormous possibilities. We have to give the American people the tools they need to make the most of their God-given potential. We must make the basic bargain of opportunity and responsibility available to all Americans, not just a few. That is the promise of the Democratic Party. That is the promise of America.” Bill Clinton, Remarks Accepting the Presidential Nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, August 29, 1996

Defining Quotation (Losing Candidate):

“I will seek the presidency with nothing to fall back on but the judgment of the people and nowhere to go but the White House or home…and I will then stand before you without office or authority, a private citizen, a Kansan, an American, just a man. For little has come to me except in the hard way, which is good because we have a hard task ahead of us.” Robert Dole, Announcing his Senate Resignation to Jump Start Flagging Bid for White House as of June 11, 1996

Why? Because some genius in the Clinton administration took the money to fund yet another theory, yet another program and yet another bureaucracy. Are they taking care of you, or are they taking care of themselves? I have asked myself that question. And I say, let the people be free. Free to keep. Let the people be free to keep as much of what they earn as the government can strain with all its might not to take, not the other way around…. And it must be said because of misguided priorities there have been massive cuts in funding for our national security. I believe President Clinton has failed to adequately provide for our defense. And for whatever reason the neglect, it is irresponsible. Robert Dole Address Accepting the Presidential Nomination at the Republican National Convention in San Diego, August 15, 1996

Campaign Quotations:

“On the most obvious level, the placid waters of the 1996 Presidential campaign suggest a nation at peace with its politics. Many voters may simply choose to stay home. The economy is good, the country is not at war and President Clinton has rebounded from the depths of his unpopularity just two years before.” Adam Nagourney, New York Times, November 3, 1996

”When you’re an incumbent, and the economy is doing well boring is good.” George Stephanopoulos, Clinton senior aide and strategist, November 3, 1996

CHRONOLOGY

January 25, 1993: “President Clinton announces that First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton will head the Task Force on National Health Care Reform. The President hopes to reform the nation’s health care system so that all Americans have health insurance, ensuring what is called “universal coverage,” and to control the sky-rocketing costs of health care.”

February 26, 1993: “Six people are killed and more than a thousand suffer injuries after a bomb planted under the World Trade Center in New York City explodes. The bomb marks the beginning of a string of threats against the United States made during the Clinton administration by both foreign and domestic terrorists.”

August 10, 1993: “President Clinton signs the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. The legislation, which passes both houses of Congress by slim majorities, lays out a plan to reduce the budget deficit by $496 billion through 1998, using a combination of spending cuts and tax increases.”

September 22, 1993: “President Clinton unveils a plan for universal health care that would fix what he called a “badly broken” system. Clinton emphasizes that under his plan, all Americans would have high-quality health care and would be able to choose their physicians.”

December 8, 1993: After a hard-fought battle in Congress, President Clinton signs the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), eliminating nearly every trade barrier between the United States, Canada, and Mexico, creating the world’s largest free trade zone.

January 10-11, 1994: President Clinton attends the NATO summit meeting in Brussels, Belgium, at which he announces that the United States will maintain at least 100,000 troops in Europe. He also introduces the “Partnership for Peace” program aimed at building closer ties between NATO and former Warsaw Pact states.

June 14, 1994: “President Clinton unveils his welfare reform initiatives. Clinton had campaigned in 1992 on the issue, promising to “end welfare as we know it.””

August 26, 1994: “The White House and congressional leaders, including Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell (D-ME), announce that Clinton’s ambitious plan for health care reform will not be acted upon in 1994. Clinton’s initiatives fail to find support in Congress.”

October 9, 1994: “The Clinton administration announces plans to send more than 35,000 troops to the Persian Gulf to deter an Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Less than three days after the announcement, Iraqi troops pull back from the Iraq-Kuwait border.”

November 8, 1994: “In mid-term congressional elections, the Republican Party wins control of both houses of Congress for the first time in more than 40 years. It now holds a 53 to 47 advantage in the Senate and a 230 to 214 to 1 lead in the House.”

December 1, 1994: “The Senate votes to approve the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) that 117 nations, including the United States, agree to in December 1993. (The agreement cuts tariffs by more than a third on a wide range of products and creates a freer international market for goods.)”

December 5, 1994: “President Clinton, along with the presidents of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine, signs the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I) in Budapest, Hungary. The treaty eliminates more than 9,000 warheads.”

April 19, 1995: “In an act of domestic terrorism, a bomb planted in a truck parked in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, kills 168 people and causes massive structural damage. In the days following the tragedy, Clinton, in widely-praised efforts, speaks with victims and to the country about how to recover physically, emotionally, and spiritually from the attack.”

November – December 1995: “President Clinton and the Republican-controlled Congress, led by Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (R-GA), engage in a political death struggle over how to balance the budget by 2002. Failure to reach an agreement leads to the shut-down of certain parts of the federal government, furloughing more than a quarter of a million government workers.”

December 3, 1995: World Workers Party Convention nominates Monica Moorehead for President.

President Clinton deters any opposition to his candidacy in the primaries and the first time since 1964, Democrats had no contest in primaries.

February 20, 1996: New Hampshire primary: Pat Buchanan wins the New Hampshire primary benefits from Steve Forbes negative ads against candidate Robert Dole. Bob Dole, the Senate majority leader from Kansas is the front runner in the polls and fund-raising. Steve Forbes’ well-financed vanity candidacy does not accept matching federal funds for his candidacy; consequently, the caps imposed do not limit his spending. Forbes spent excessive amounts on negative attacks against Bob Dole.

April 9, 1996: “President Clinton signs a bill giving him the power of the “line-item veto,” which had been requested by Presidents Reagan and Bush. With this new power, Clinton can veto specific items in spending and tax bills without vetoing the entire measure.”

April 29, 1996: Hsi Lai Temple in Hacienda Heights, California fundraising event with Al Gore as the keynote speaker. DNC fund-raisers John Huang and Maria Hsia organize the event although it is illegal for religious institutions as non-profit organizations to contribute to political campaigns, candidates or parties. Hsia was convicted in March 2000, and the funds were returned to the Temple’s monks and nuns. (“Vice President Al Gore attends a Democratic National Committee fund-raising event at a Buddhist temple in Los Angeles. Gore and the DNC raised more than $60,000 but so through questionable interpretations of several campaign finance laws. The Clinton administration comes under increasing criticism in its second term for these alleged violations.”)

May 1996: Dole reaches over spending limit under the federal campaign law, had no money to respond to Clinton’s negative advertising.

May 28, 1996: “In the first trial to result from the Whitewater investigation, Jim and Susan McDougal, and Arkansas Governor Jim Guy Tucker-Clinton’s friends and former business partners in the Whitewater affair are convicted of fraud.”

June 1992: Clinton meets with top FBI and CIA aides in hope of organizing a successful sting against the Russian Mafia, which had been rumored to be interested in selling a nuclear missile. The operation fails.

Dole Chooses for his running-mate former Representative Jack Kemp, conservative from New York, former NFL quarterback for the Buffalo Bills football team

August 12-15, 1996: Republican National Convention convenes in the San Diego Convention Center; San Diego nominates on the 1st ballot, Robert J. Dole (Kansas) for President, Jack Kemp (Maryland). Convention theme: “compassion and conservatism.” Republican Party nominates Dole on the first ballot 1,928 of the 1,990 votes

August 18, 1996: Reform Party Convention nominates H. Ross Perot

August 18, 1996: U.S. Taxpayers Party National Convention convenes in San Diego and nominates Howard Phillips for President and Herbert W. Titus (Virginia) for Vice President.

August 19, 1996: Green Party National Convention convenes in Los Angeles, California, and nominates Ralph Nader for President and Winona LaDuke for Vice President.

August 24, 1996: Natural Law Party Convention nominates John Hagelin for President.

August 26-29, 1996: Democratic National Convention convenes at United Center in Chicago, Illinois, and renominates by acclamation, William J. Clinton (Arkansas) for President, and Albert A. Gore, Jr. (Tennessee) for Vice President.

August 26, 1996: Christopher Reeve spoke on the first night calling for expanded research into diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injuries, and AIDS.

August 27, 1996: Second Night theme is families; First Lady Hillary Clinton speaks on family values

August 28, 1996: Third night, Vice President Al Gore speaks about the Democratic Party leading the nation into the 21st Century.

August 29, 1996: Fourth night Bill Clinton accepts the “Presidential Nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago”; President Clinton speaks of his first administration’s achievements.

Clinton maintains an advantage because Dole has reached his funding spending limit for the primaries and can not respond or attack back.

August 28, 1996: Dick Morris, Clinton’s campaign advisor is alerted the Star tabloid magazine is intending to run a story that he was having a year-long affair with a Washington prostitute.

August 29, 1996: Morris is forced to resign from the campaign. Morris delivers his resignation in the morning. ”I will not dignify such journalism with a reply or an answer. I never will.”

August 29, 1996: “White House Takes Swift Action to Distance Itself From Political Aide. President Clinton’s advisers moved today to contain the damage from the resignation of Dick Morris by refusing to confirm a tabloid report that he had a yearlong affair with a prostitute and by seeking to create a firewall between him and Mr. Clinton.” (NYT)

September 19, 1996: The Commission on Presidential Debates concludes Perot does not have a “realistic chance of election” and therefore would not be allowed to participate in the presidential debates.

Clinton hopes to broker a last-minute deal between the Palestinians and Israelis. The two sides however only agreed to more talks.

September 1995: Dole gains momentum when the press uncovers the National Democrats might be engaging in questionable fund-raising practices, and accepting donations from foreign countries, tax-exempt religious institutions which is strictly prohibited

October 6, 1996: First Presidential Debate in Hartford

October 9, 1996: Vice-Presidential Debate in St. Petersburg

October 16, 1996: Second Presidential Debate in San Diego

September 19, 1996: Bob Dole falls off a stage at a rally on in Chico, California; a railing he leans over gives way.

September 18, 1996: Dole mistakenly references the “Brooklyn Dodgers”, the team had left Brooklyn four decades prior, a few days later to make light of the gaffe, Dole jokes “And I’d like to congratulate the St. Louis Cardinals on winning the N.L. Central. Notice I said the St. Louis Cardinals, not the St. Louis Browns.” (the Browns left in 1954, becoming the Baltimore Orioles).

Doles references the Soviet Union as though it still existed, shows Dole is out of place with the times.

December 16, 1996: Presidential Electors cast the electoral in their state capitols.

February 13, 1997: The Washington Post publishes a story that a U.S. Department of Justice investigation uncovers that Chinese agents were donating money to the Democratic National Committee through the Chinese Embassy in Washington. “Chinese Embassy Role In Contributions Probed” It is illegal for non-American citizens from donating to U.S. politicians and parties. Seventeen were convicted in connection.

Election 2016

About the Editor

Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS is a journalist, librarian, editor, & historian. She has a BA in History & Art History, and a Masters in Library and Information Studies both from McGill University, and has done graduate work in Jewish history at Concordia University as part of the MA in Judaic Studies. She wrote regularly about politics, news, education, and Judaism for Examiner.com until the publication closed in July 2016. She is the editor of History Musings... History, News & Politics, which covers the Presidency, Congress, and history news. She has previously covered the 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016 Presidential campaigns & 2010 and 2014 midterm elections. She was also the former Editor/Features Editor for the History News Network (HNN), and had been working for HNN from 2004-2010.... READ MORE

Top Posts & Pages

RECENT POSTS: History Musings

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY HISTORY, NEWS & POLITICS HISTORY & POLITICAL HEADLINES OTD in History… January 4, 1896, Utah is admitted as the 45th State of the Union Bonnie K. Goodman Jan 4 By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS (Originally published on the History News Network on Tuesday, January 1, 2008) On this day in history January […]

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY HISTORY, NEWS & POLITICS HISTORY & POLITICAL HEADLINES OTD in History… January 1, 1863, Lincoln signs Emancipation Proclamation freeing all the slaves in rebel territories Bonnie K. Goodman Jan 1 By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS On this day in history January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation, […]

HISTORY ARTICLES HISTORY, NEWS & POLITICS Tribute to History News Network’s founding Editor Rick Shenkman Bonnie K. Goodman Dec 30 By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS This December, History News Network’s (HNN) founder and Editor-in-chief Richard Shenkman announced he was retiring and that HNN was moving from its home server at George Mason University to George Washington University. […]

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY HISTORY, NEWS & POLITICS HISTORY & POLITICAL HEADLINES OTD in History… December 19, 1998, Bill Clinton becomes only the second president in American history to be impeached Bonnie K. Goodman Dec 28 By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS Source: Washington Examiner On this day in history December 19, 1998, the […]

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY HISTORY, NEWS & POLITICS HISTORY & POLITICAL HEADLINES OTD in History… August 9, 1974, Vice President Gerald Ford Sworn in as president after Richard Nixon resigns By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS On this day in history August 9, 1974, Vice President Gerald R. Ford is sworn in as president after Richard Nixon […]

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY HISTORY, NEWS & POLITICS HISTORY & POLITICAL HEADLINES OTD in History… August 8, 1968, Republican Party nominates Richard Nixon for President By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS On this day in history August 8, 1968, The Republican Party nominates Richard M. Nixon for President at their convention in Miami Beach, Florida, and […]

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY HISTORY, NEWS & POLITICS HISTORY & POLITICAL HEADLINES OTD in History… August 8, 1974, Richard Nixon announces he will resign from the presidency over impending Watergate impeachment By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS On this day in history August 8, 1974, the 37th President Richard Nixon in a televised address […]

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY HISTORY, NEWS & POLITICS HISTORY & POLITICAL HEADLINES OTD in History… August 7, 1912, Teddy Roosevelt nominated for a third term as president by the Bull Moose Party By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS On this day in history August 7, 1912, the Progressive Party nominates former President Theodore Roosevelt for president, the […]

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY HISTORY, NEWS & POLITICS HISTORY & POLITICAL HEADLINES OTD in History… August 6, 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signs the Voting Rights Act into law By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS On this day in history August 6, 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law, the law would prevent the […]

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY HISTORY, NEWS & POLITICS HISTORY & POLITICAL HEADLINES OTD in History… August 5, 1981, President Ronald Reagan fires striking air traffic controllers By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS On this day in history August 5, 1981, President Ronald Reagan begins firingthe 11,359 air-traffic controllers who ignored his order to return to […]

Recent Posts: History Musings

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY HISTORY, NEWS & POLITICS HISTORY & POLITICAL HEADLINES OTD in History… January 4, 1896, Utah is admitted as the 45th State of the Union Bonnie K. Goodman Jan 4 By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS (Originally published on the History News Network on Tuesday, January 1, 2008) On this day in history January […]

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY HISTORY, NEWS & POLITICS HISTORY & POLITICAL HEADLINES OTD in History… January 1, 1863, Lincoln signs Emancipation Proclamation freeing all the slaves in rebel territories Bonnie K. Goodman Jan 1 By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS On this day in history January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation, […]

HISTORY ARTICLES HISTORY, NEWS & POLITICS Tribute to History News Network’s founding Editor Rick Shenkman Bonnie K. Goodman Dec 30 By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS This December, History News Network’s (HNN) founder and Editor-in-chief Richard Shenkman announced he was retiring and that HNN was moving from its home server at George Mason University to George Washington University. […]

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY HISTORY, NEWS & POLITICS HISTORY & POLITICAL HEADLINES OTD in History… December 19, 1998, Bill Clinton becomes only the second president in American history to be impeached Bonnie K. Goodman Dec 28 By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS Source: Washington Examiner On this day in history December 19, 1998, the […]

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY HISTORY, NEWS & POLITICS HISTORY & POLITICAL HEADLINES OTD in History… August 9, 1974, Vice President Gerald Ford Sworn in as president after Richard Nixon resigns By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS On this day in history August 9, 1974, Vice President Gerald R. Ford is sworn in as president after Richard Nixon […]

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY HISTORY, NEWS & POLITICS HISTORY & POLITICAL HEADLINES OTD in History… August 8, 1968, Republican Party nominates Richard Nixon for President By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS On this day in history August 8, 1968, The Republican Party nominates Richard M. Nixon for President at their convention in Miami Beach, Florida, and […]

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY HISTORY, NEWS & POLITICS HISTORY & POLITICAL HEADLINES OTD in History… August 8, 1974, Richard Nixon announces he will resign from the presidency over impending Watergate impeachment By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS On this day in history August 8, 1974, the 37th President Richard Nixon in a televised address […]

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY HISTORY, NEWS & POLITICS HISTORY & POLITICAL HEADLINES OTD in History… August 7, 1912, Teddy Roosevelt nominated for a third term as president by the Bull Moose Party By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS On this day in history August 7, 1912, the Progressive Party nominates former President Theodore Roosevelt for president, the […]

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY HISTORY, NEWS & POLITICS HISTORY & POLITICAL HEADLINES OTD in History… August 6, 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signs the Voting Rights Act into law By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS On this day in history August 6, 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law, the law would prevent the […]

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY HISTORY, NEWS & POLITICS HISTORY & POLITICAL HEADLINES OTD in History… August 5, 1981, President Ronald Reagan fires striking air traffic controllers By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS On this day in history August 5, 1981, President Ronald Reagan begins firingthe 11,359 air-traffic controllers who ignored his order to return to […]